Updated Gunsites

The Whip · Nov 8, 2015

Anyone able to shed any light on why these updated Gunsites never came to fruition?

San Mai III steel, reinforced handles, Tri-Ad lock, and Gunsite styling?! Yes, please, count me in!!

Obviously prototypes were made. I hope this project is not dead.

-Steve

Sadden · Nov 8, 2015

Probably too close in styling to a voyager to too high of a price point. How recent are these pictures?

DShiflet · Nov 8, 2015

Sadden said:
Probably too close in styling to a voyager to too high of a price point.

That would be my guess, it pretty much looks like a combo edge tanto Voyager with "Gunsite" across the blade.

G. Scott H. · Nov 8, 2015

I like the swedge at the top of the blade. I sorta wish they'd done the newer Voyager tantos like that.

GCG199 · Nov 9, 2015

I believe those pictures are from the 2010 Cold Steel catalog.

They were planning on doing the whole Voyager line in San Mai.

But they ran into quality control problems and they were more expensive too.

This was right as they were switching production of a lot of their product line from Japan to Taiwan.

The Whip · Nov 9, 2015

DShiflet said:
it pretty much looks like a combo edge tanto Voyager with "Gunsite" across the blade.

Fundamentally, that's all the Gunsite folders ever were. But Cold Steel adds a subtle degree of belly to the blade and that cutout on the spine that make the Gunsite profiles much more pleasant to my eye. And don't forget the addition of San Mai III steel on these models. That's downright history-making! Unless I'm very mistaken, San Mai hasn't been used on Cold Steel folders since the company's first models, the Shinobus and Clipmates.

G. Scott H. said:
I like the swedge at the top of the blade. I sorta wish they'd done the newer Voyager tantos like that.

Me, too. I always wished they'd applied the Gunsite styling to the old Voyagers. I didn't care about having the Gunsite logo on the knife, and I would have preferred a plain edge, but I liked the shape a lot. Still, if you're going to create a special edition, I guess you have to make it different enough from the regular line to merit the title "special!"

I feel the same about the new Rawles Voyager. It's really nothing more than a standard partially serrated XL Tanto Voyager--probably my least favorite configuration of the Voyager line-up. But that beautiful DLC blade finish with the green handle, combined with the CTS-XHP steel not available on any other Voyager model, turn it into a special edition that's just special enough for me to want one!

-Steve

The Whip · Nov 9, 2015

GCG199 said:
I believe those pictures are from the 2010 Cold Steel catalog.

They were planning on doing the whole Voyager line in San Mai.

But they ran into quality control problems and they were more expensive too.

This was right as they were switching production of a lot of their product line from Japan to Taiwan.

Interesting, and I appreciate the information. But it still doesn't explain why the updated Gunsite models were never produced, even if it had to be in a different steel.

-Steve

Cold Steel Knives · Nov 9, 2015

None of the San Mai folders that we developed and prototyped for 2009-10 ever came to fruition.
We simply couldn't get enough of them made. San Mai III is very hard to produce in large quantities, in fact we now consider all San Mai items to be limited edition
It wasn't a viable option for a mass production folder.
We tried - but the project wasn't successful
Luckily now we have XHP and other steels to play with - I personally hope it'll mean a re-evaluation of the gunsite line. I loved those knives and was sad that the project fell through

pwnc · Nov 9, 2015

I really miss the Cold Steel Custom line as well. Some of those folders were in San Mai III.

The Whip · Nov 15, 2015

Cold Steel Knives said:
I personally hope it'll mean a re-evaluation of the gunsite line. I loved those knives and was sad that the project fell through

Me, too, CS! That Gunsite XL with a DLC-coated CTS-XHP blade would be awesome!

pwnc said:
I really miss the Cold Steel Custom line as well. Some of those folders were in San Mai III.

You're absolutely right, pwnc. I had forgotten about the San Mai III blades on the Custom Series. I miss that line, as well. I know they were expensive, but their construction really was top-tier. I failed to buy them when Cold Steel was closing them out--stupid of me!

-Steve

GCG199 · Nov 15, 2015

I don't know for sure, but I think they will be bringing back more of the discontinued Custom line.

They brought back the Talwar (along with an additional 5.5-inch too), and the Tuff Lite.

So maybe more are on the list to be brought back in the future with upgraded steels.

Kwon Kwang · Nov 17, 2015

Cold Steel Knives said:
We simply couldn't get enough of them made. San Mai III is very hard to produce in large quantities, in fact we now consider all San Mai items to be limited edition

Jeeze.

I'm glad I bought my R1 Military Classic and my Recon Tanto when I did! I still gush over those things as much as I did when I first oggled them & received them.